{"id":799204,"date":"2026-05-15T22:47:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T22:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/799204\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T22:47:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T22:47:16","slug":"b-c-govt-monitoring-situation-as-yellow-legged-hornet-found-at-washington-state-port","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/799204\/","title":{"rendered":"B.C. gov’t monitoring situation as yellow-legged hornet found at Washington state port"},"content":{"rendered":"

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B.C. agriculture officials say they are in contact with their Washington state counterparts after a yellow-legged hornet was found and killed at a cargo port south of the border.<\/p>\n

In a statement last week<\/a>, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) said a grain inspector found the live hornet \u2014 also called the southern giant hornet \u2014 while inspecting a cargo ship in Vancouver, Wash., on April 30.<\/p>\n

The hornets, native to Asia, are considered an invasive species<\/a> in Canada and the U.S. and can cause serious problems<\/a> for honey bee populations.<\/p>\n

While Washington state officials say they killed the hornet immediately \u2014 and subsequent inspections revealed no further evidence of hornets on the ship \u2014 officials in B.C. say they’re monitoring the situation.<\/p>\n

“The Washington State Department of Agriculture has advised us that there is a low risk of the hornet spreading into B.C.,” said a spokesperson for the Agriculture Ministry in a statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udce3 WSDA discovered a yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) at the Port of Vancouver on April 30. We’re asking those in the area to be on the lookout and report suspected sightings.
Learn more in our latest press release: https:\/\/t.co\/BEDqVzhfIa<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/B9SWED38M0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014WSDAgov<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The spokesperson added that officials had communication systems in place, both federally and at a local level, and were prepared to respond promptly if a similar situation occurs at a B.C. port.<\/p>\n

According to the WSDA, the yellow-legged hornet has spread rapidly throughout Europe, where it has caused a 30 per cent dip in honey bee hives and honey production.<\/p>\n

“We are hopeful that this was a one-off interception, which occasionally happens at our ports,” said Sven Spichiger, a pest program manager for the WSDA, in the statement.<\/p>\n

Vespa velutina \u2014 the species commonly known as the yellow-legged hornet or Asian hornet \u2014 constructs its nests above the ground from paper-like materials, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.<\/p>\n

They feed on a variety of insects, including honey bees, with officials saying hornet nests can be large and contain up to 6,000 worker insects.<\/p>\n

“If allowed to establish in the United States, these invasive pests could threaten populations of domestic and feral honey bees \u2013 some of which are already endangered \u2013 and other native pollinators,” the department says.<\/p>\n

\"AThe U.S. Department of Agriculture says that yellow-legged hornets possess distinctive features, which include a “wasp waist” and more uniform bands on its abdomen. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)<\/p>\n

The WSDA asked for people in the Vancouver, Wash., area to be on the lookout for other yellow-legged hornets, which has distinctive markings<\/a> that distinguish it from other species.<\/p>\n

In 2024, the B.C. government declared the province free<\/a> of northern giant hornets \u2014 a different species colloquially called “murder hornets<\/a>” \u2014 after they started showing up in certain communities.<\/p>\n

The prospect of the spread of the northern giant hornets caused great concern at the time, given their ability to destroy bee colonies within a span of a day.<\/p>\n

Alison McAfee, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of B.C. who studies honey bee reproductive health, told CBC News in an email that she was unclear on the risk posed by the particular species that was detected at the Washington state port.<\/p>\n

“What I can say is that as long as we move cargo by ships, we will also move pests by ships,” she said.<\/p>\n

“With [globalized] trade it is only a matter of time for pests, including this hornet and others on beekeepers\u2019 radars, to disperse and have the opportunity to establish in new areas with conducive resources and climates.”<\/p>\n

WATCH | Why ‘murder hornets’ were a problem in B.C.:<\/strong>\"\"<\/p>\n

Why the Asian giant hornet is a problem for B.C.<\/p>\n

These large invasive predators might look scary to humans, but B.C.’s top hornet expert says the real reason to be afraid is what they could do to our food chain.